Heartbeat (series)
by Majinie
Summary: Loki is part of the Avengers after a long time of back and forth, and actually quite content with his life as it is. But nothing lasts forever and when Tony walks into him in his Jotun form, he is sure that his time with the Avengers has come to an end. - A series of loosely connected one-shots based on the first chapter, Heartbeat.
1. Heartbeat

In the first month of Loki's stay at AvengersTower "for punishment and atonement from his crimes", it was barely noticeable that he was even there. He kept to himself, withdrawn on the floor he occupied, and if somebody saw him it was when he sneaked to the kitchen at night.Thor's efforts to get through to his younger brother, if they had had any effect, had only made it worse.

The change came when Loki was, once again, going for food on the common floor's kitchen in the middle of the night and literally stumbled over Tony Stark who was lying on the floor with one hell of a panic attack.

For a moment, the god thought about just turning around and returning to his chambers since the household AI probably would have already alerted the mortal's fellow companions, but seeing him crouched up on the floor and on the best way to scream his lungs out, he decided to stay.

He had knelt down beside him, consoled him – because if there was something Loki was really good with it was with sweet words – until Stark had stopped crying and, shortly after, Steve Rogers had entered the room and the god had left it to him to console his friend any further.

It would not have changed anything, if Stark wouldn't have asked for access to Loki's floor the next day. There were two facts that made him allow the entrance; it was partly that he was actually asking - because, who was he kidding, there was nothing that kept Stark from simply coming in - and partly because he was curious enough to allow him in.

The engineer had thanked him a little awkwardly and then asked the god to join him in his workshop. He had agreed, although reluctantly, because even Loki could stand boredom only so long. Soon he had found himself enjoying the mortal's company and his explanations on human technology just as much as the man enjoyed having someone who was actually willing to listen.

Being down in the laboratory frequently, Loki got to know Bruce Banner too – in his normal, shy and calm form – and it wasn't too long until the two scientists managed to drag him along for team dinner. From that point on, he began to grow fond of the Avengers.

Loki learned soon that they were a strange kind of family, each one carrying his own fears and regrets, and that was a pattern he could fit into just too well until he noticed he was, somehow, becoming a part of it, although he kept a big deal of his own insecurities to himself without them noticing anything about it.

Steve Rogers had found his pleasure in drawing him; agents Barton and Romanov were content with dragging him to the gym to something that was less of a workout than simply letting off tension and grudges; Thor was just glad to have his beloved little brother around and Loki learned to meet him with something else than just hatred, jealousy and frustration.

After two and a half month, the younger god had joined a mission for the first time because they had needed his skills badly, and shortly after Fury had made him an Avenger on the paper, too.

By now, it were six month since he had come back. It was stressful, but having been raised in Asgardian ways, Loki _did_ need the opportunity to work off some tension now and then.

Today had been one of these days and now, he was standing under a stream of cold water in his shower (cold because it was the middle of summer and the temperatures outside were pure torture, especially when there were 30 kilos of leather and metal shielding him) and enjoyed the feeling of dirt, blood and sweat being washed off.

When he felt refreshed and content with himself, he turned off the water and stepped out of the shower cabin, grabbed a towel and knotted it around his hips so he could reach for a second one to dry his hair as suddenly the door burst open and Stark stormed in.

"Oh my god, Loki, you've _got_ to see this", he blurted out. "I've found it, I–" His voice trailed off as his eyes wandered over the god's barely covered body, from head to toe and up again. "_Wow_."

"I am flattered, Stark", Loki said, voice dripping with sarcasm, "but there is no need to stare like that. There is nothing you..." He caught a glimpse of himself in the large mirror on the wall and hissed sharply. His skin was blue, dark lines rising from it, and his eyes stared back at him with bloody red. The shower had lasted for too long, the cold had revealed his Jotun form. "Get out", he ordered harshly.

"Why? You weren't–"

"_Get out_!", he yelled and the temperature dropped several degrees, ice spread from his feet to cover the ground in thin, white lines and cracked under his heel as he made a step towards the mortal. He saw him flinch and Stark stammered a hasty "Fine, fine", hands raised in defeat, and backed out of the room.

For a few seconds, Loki just stared at the door, his breathing heavy and struggling for composure, and then he gave in to the tremor shaking his limbs and broke down to his knees. He buried his face in his hands, cursing under his breath, and bit his lip until it drew blood. He was a _god_; he was not going to cry after such a thing.

Because the truth was: it had been bound to happen. He couldn't keep his secrets forever, but he realized with a pang of grief that he had started to consider the Avengers as family, as a new start, and somehow he had left behind the boundaries that his reasonable mind had set up.

Numbly, he dried himself and watched the disgusting Jotun blue fade into pale Aesir skin again.

Hide Laufeyson, show off Odinson. Never just _Loki_.

Only clad in a robe and with his hair still curling damp over his shoulders and black strands falling into his face, he stepped out of the bathroom and froze on the doorstep (_not_ literally) as he found Stark comfortably splayed out on top of his bed. The mortal turned his head towards him and grinned.

"Hey there", he greeted. "All rosy again, are we?" Loki stood there for a few more seconds before he made his way to the wardrobe.

"What are you doing here, Stark?", he asked, carefully keeping every emotion out of his voice.

"I still wanted to tell you something", the engineer reminded him and was all scientist again. "Remember that experiment we started with Bruce lately? I'd given it up, really, but he kept it, and there was something _amazing_ at the..." His rambling continued while Loki searched through his clothing. What was _this_ about now?

"Lokes, are you even listening?", the mortal complained. A pair of black jeans was thrown his way to land on the bed, followed short by a second one. Then two dark green button-up shirts and a white one. "What are you _doing_?"

"Packing, obviously", the god replied without turning around. He was surprised he sounded so calm, but those were centuries of practice, of hiding pain and hurt, of pretending all over speaking.

"That much I got, but why?", the brunette demanded.

"Because I am – oh." _Oh. _Finally, Loki got it and _now_, his throat constricted painfully and the next words didn't sound all that composed. "I am sorry, I can leave them. You paid them after all." He still didn't turn around, his hand frozen over a sweater Stark had given to him. Anyway he heard the rustle of the sheets as the engineer shifted his position, heard his feet connect with the ground softly, heard the slow steps taken towards him.

"_Loki_", Stark growled behind him and the god tensed up in expectation of... yes, what? Maybe a hit? Not like the mortal could harm him without his armour. "As far as I'm concerned, you can _burn_ your clothes." Of course. Nobody else would want to wear them after him, right? "Hell, you can burn down the whole _mall_", and wasn't that dramatizing a little? He had entered the building only twice, "and I wouldn't even notice the money missing. I could build two better ones and still wouldn't care."

Somehow Loki was losing track of his talking. What was this with building new malls now? He felt intrigued to turn around and look at the expression on the man's face, but he was afraid from the disgust and anger he might see.

"What I _want_, Loki", at that the god tensed even more, "is you to tell my what the hell this fuss is about." Loki forced out a small laugh and now he _did_ turn around to face the mortal who was staring at him out of his dark eyes with an expression that was close to anger, but too uncertain to be actual fury.

"You know what this is about, Stark", he spat, keeping his scornful attitude as a last line of defense. "You _saw_ what this is about."

"Yeah, 'bout that", the engineer said, and suddenly the rage was replaced by wide, curious eyes. The eyes of a scientist. "What was that?"

"That", Loki answered, "was Laufey's son. You know I am adopted, what Thor didn't tell you is that I am no Aesir. Hidden behind this", he waved a hand at his body, "is my Jotun form. A frost giant."

"That's _awesome_", Stark breathed. "I mean, you certainly don't look like a giant, but just imagine what we could _do_ with that! I saw the ice – do you think it–"

"Oh, _no_, Stark." Loki let out a bitter laugh. "No matter how much I might deserve it, I will not let you lock me up like the monster I am and let you run your experiments on me."

The engineer frowned and raised a finger as if telling Loki to wait while his gaze trailed to the window, unfocussed, an expression of deepest concentration on his face. After a few seconds, he spoke up again: "Waaaiiit. Did... did I miss something? I feel like I forgot something." His eyes locked with Loki's. "At which part of this conversation did I say I wanted to lock you up?"

The god snorted and turned around to resume his packing, but a hand seized his wrist firmly and he was spun around to face Stark again who demanded: "Loki, what the hell are you _talking_ about?"

"Monsters", the god replied plainly. "The Jotun are cold, heartless monsters. _I_ am a monster, you saw it just minutes ago." The mortal shook his head slowly in what looked like disbelief.

"Whoever told you that should move his sorry ass here so I can kick it", he mumbled. "You're not a monster, Loki."

"_Everyone_ knows the Jotun are monsters. Even the smallest child on Asgard could tell you that much. What do you need, a proof?"

"I don't..." The millionaire paused and he let go of Loki, took a step back and crossed his arms in front of his chest. "Actually, yes. I'm a scientist. Give me a proof you're a monster and then, you can do whatever you want."

The prince huffed and asked: "I tried to kill you, isn't that enough of a proof?"

"I've killed people too", Stark responded, but Loki saw behind his façade that it was bothering him, it always would. "You know, they used to refer to me as the Merchant of Death. You're gonna need more than this to convince me you're any worse than me." Stupid, stubborn mortal.

The god closed his eyes. He had never let his disguise down on purpose before, but now he knew it was there, and being the skilled magician he was, it didn't take long before he felt the Jotun ice creep up his spine, spreading through his body and taking him over. He , sucked in a deep breath before he opened his eyes again, blood-red now.

Stark's chocolate brown ones were staring at him in awe and the prince had to supress the urge to groan. Did he never learn? He probably still saw an experiment, a promising test subject.

"Why won't you get this is dangerous?", he hissed and stepped forward. Anger flared up in his icy form and he seized the mortal's shoulders to shove him backwards. Ice spread from his fingertips and made the smaller man shudder, but he didn't attempt to free himself.

Instead, the silly human laid his hands onto Loki's on his shoulders and met his glare. Gently, but with a tone of determination anyway, he stated: "I still can't see a monster. I see a pretty pissed Loki, yes, but you're just as scary in your usual form."

"You really do not get it?" This was becoming more and more frustrating. "I am a _monster_, Stark. I have murdered and–"

"We _all_ have killed", he interrupted. "Me, Clint, Natasha, Bruce, even the Captain – Thor probably more than I can count and I'm good with maths. You aren't any different from us, Lokes. We all have lives on our consciences, and none of us likes it, but we can't reverse it." Loki stared at his hands that were still sheltered by the engineer's.

"How can you even _touch_ me without freezing?", he whispered.

"You're chilly, but not _that_ cold", the millionaire replied. "I mean, look outside, it's actually quite pleasant. But I still think you're avoiding the topic here." Loki sighed.

"Look, Stark, the difference between your people, your team and me..."

"You're _part_ of the team!" The interruption was thoroughly ignored.

"...is that while _you_ care about the deaths you caused, I do not. I am heartless enough to–"

"You're not heartless." Stark pulled his hands from his shoulders and moved them so Loki's finger laid on his own wrist. "There's your pulse. Even as a smurf you have one."

"As a wha- forget it." The god sighed, rolling his eyes. "That was a _metaphor_, Stark." The mortal acted as if he hadn't even heard him and lifted his hands, pushing Loki's robe down his shoulders slowly and following every movement with big, amazed eyes. As the god opened his mouth to object, Stark actually_ tut__ted _at him before he started to trace one of the black lines down his torso until it was hidden by the robe that hung only loosely around his waist now, held in place by the belt.

Suddenly, with a fast tug on the fabric, Stark pulled him close and caged him with his arms in a tight embrace, forceful as if he expected Loki to struggle. He didn't – he remained tense for a few seconds, though, because he really did not know what to think of this.

"I can _feel_ your heartbeat", the engineer muttered, his head resting in the crook of the other's neck. His chest was flush against Loki's, so his oh-so-surprising observation wasn't that surprising after all. But no, that wasn't his point, the stupid human just didn't understand a metaphor when he heard one. "I can even hear it, you know?"

Sighing, Loki relaxed a little and brought his hands that he had been holding at his sides a little awkwardly to rest at the mortal's waist. The trust Stark confided him with unsettled him. Sure, they _had_ become allies, a team, maybe a family even, but now he had seen his true form, and that he still didn't cast him out was either unconditional confidence or thoughtlessness.

Despite everything the mortal had said, Loki still suspected the latter.

It was when he felt Stark shiver that he pulled away with a jolt.

"You fool", he snapped, "you are going to..."

"...catch a cold?", the millionaire finished and flashed him a cocky grin. "Seriously, look outside. I've got my personal ice bag here, that's awesome."

"_Stark_."

"Nope. C'mon, you're here half a year now, don't you think we're over last names now?"

"Fine then, _Tony_." It felt strange.

At a loss of words (which was really, _really _rare for him) Loki started to change back into the Odinson. When he opened his eyes, he caught Sta- Tony staring at him.

"Um, then, would you..." The engineer tugged his hands into his pockets. "You're staying, right? I mean, you don't _have_ to, but I'd never throw you out, just that you know." He started to stumble over his own words. "God, that sounded weird, but... come on, you know what I mean. You _can_ go, of course, but you don't have to, you shouldn't, actually, but that sounds like I'm restricting you again and I don't want that–"

"Tony, calm down", the god ordered and the other sighed and looked up at him out of these delicious chocolate eyes for a second before he spoke up again.

"I'd like you to stay here, okay? With me, I mean. I like having you around." It wasn't much of a confession, nothing Tony hadn't indicated before, but now it hung in the air, practically cried out loud, like something Loki could grasp, and could hold on to.

For the first time in this discussion, Loki smiled genuinely.

"Fine. I will stay."


	2. Bright Green Eyes

This is a sequel to Heartbeat (and I just decided that more will follow). It's not actually a story, but more a series of loosely connected one-shots... Have fun with a lazy morning-Loki!

Loki was absent-mindedly shovelling sugar into his coffee cup. It was a habit of him; he would always put in sugar and milk before the coffee. Mainly because Stark – no, Tony – was annoyed by it and also because he could. Still dazed from sleep, his movements were sluggish and more a reflex than actually conscious.

"Hey, Lokes", Tony piped up and startled the god out of his thoughts. When he had his attention, he waved vaguely in the direction of the cup. "Are you, you know, going to put some coffee into your sugar?" Loki looked at his mug just as he emptied another spoonful of white crystals into it. It was half-full with sugar already. For a few seconds, he plainly stared at it and wondered where all of that sweet stuff came from. "Loki, are you with me?"

"Yes, um, of course", he muttered. "I am. Coffee."

"You're coffee?", Tony repeated while picking up the pot.

"Yes. No." The god sighed. "Shut up." He grabbed the milk and poured some into his mug. It made a strange, thick white liquid mixed with the sugar. He was just glad Tony wasn't able to read his thoughts, because otherwise he'd definitely comment on that now if he could.

"You're no morning person, are you?", the engineer asked, grinning, while he poured the hot liquid onto the mush of sugar and milk.

"And it took you more than half a year to figure that out?", Loki grumbled. He lifted his mug and caught the mortal squinting at it. He sighed and closed his eyes – he knew the man good enough to know what was following.

"Ugh. Are you going to _drink _that? I mean, yuck, is that even still a liquid? I don't think that much sugar can even dissolve in coffee."

"There's milk in it, too", the god pointed out tiredly.

"As if that'd make a difference. I think you're gonna poison yourself. Or you'll get a sugar shock and hop around my tower squealing and giggling", Tony continued, causing Loki to groan.

"Do you _ever_ shut up?", he asked, taking a sip of the not-quite-liquid in his mug. He did his best not to grimace at the disgustingly sweet taste.

"How can you drink that?", Tony asked, now close to a whine. "I want to puke just from looking at you." Loki took another sip, just because he could. "Are you a masochist or something? I honestly can't find another explanation. God, I can't even look at that."

"Well, _I_ like it", Loki responded, even if it was a blatant lie. "Are you sure you do not want to try?"

"Yep, I am. Never been so sure of something in my whole life", the mortal replied immediately. "I'm not enduring this any longer, I'm down in the workshop. Bye!"

As soon as he was out of the door, Loki stood up and emptied the contents of his mug into the sink.

After breakfast (which included a mug of _perfectly normally_ sweetened coffee) Loki decided to join Tony in his workshop. Even after all the months he had spent on Midgard, the mortal kept finding things for him to learn. Much of Midgard's science contained simple principles of magic, although they didn't realize it themselves.

He descended the stairs to the workshop and was about to knock when he caught a glimpse of its insides. Frowning, he moved closer to the glass. He saw the engineer, sitting with his back to the entrance and looking at some pictures.

Pictures of _Loki_. He saw some that were clearly taken during the invasion – one of him in the cell on the helicarrier, another where he was strapped to a seat in the quinjet, and then there was one of him in a suit in the hall in Stuttgart that Tony zoomed in on until he had a close-up of Loki's face. But there were newer ones, too; images from his time with the Avengers. The god spotted one that was clearly taken _just that morning_, with him blinking tiredly down into his mug while holding a spoon with sugar piled on top of it, and then there was one of him in his Jotun skin, clad only in a robe. It was from the day when the engineer had first seen this form of him – only about a month ago. Cold, gut-twisting anger flared up in Loki.

Without bothering to knock, he teleported inside so he stood right behind the mortal and hissed: "Care to explain what you are doing here, _Stark_?"

The mortal let out a startled yelp and spun around in his chair, nearly knocking it over. Seeing Loki, he exhaled and sighed: "Jeez, don't sneak up on me like that, you scared the shit out of me, Lokes. I –" He glanced at the holographic screens and paled. "This is not what you think it is", he assured hastily. Loki's gaze stayed cold and calculating as he stared down at the engineer who waved his hands around nervously. "Whatever you think it is. But it's not this, really. This just looks terribly wrong, doesn't it? Really, I – it's just a research –"

"A _research_", Loki repeated. "Oh, pray tell then, what did you _research _on?"

Stark took a deep, calming breath and regained some of his composure. He had the actual audacity to look _accusing_ when he crossed his arms in front of his chest and demanded: "Why didn't you tell us?"

"Tell you _what_?", the god snapped.

In response, the engineer turned around and waved most of the pictures away, leaving only the one from Stuttgart and the other with Loki and his coffee. Then, he pulled up a new one – of Barton, slightly out of focus, on the helicarrier. He zoomed in on all of them and then pointed at the archer: "There, see? Blue eyes." Then he enlarged the picture of the god in the suit and remarked: "And here, also blue. The exact same colour. But here", he made a gesture towards the most recent one, "bright green." He turned again to look at the prince. "I should have noticed earlier, but I didn't expect you to keep something like that as a secret!"

Loki's anger died down like a snuffed-out candle and the tension bled out from his body as he asked, barely audible: "That is what all that was about? Just that?"

"_Just_ that?", the mortal repeated incredulously. "Loki, that's the proof of your _innocence_! It's not _just_ something you hide!"

"What does it change?", he asked quietly and leaned against a workbench with a heavy sigh. He had managed to banish his invasion from his head mostly, but this brought it all back. Staring at the wall farthest from him, he elaborated: "The dead stay dead, Stark, no matter who is at fault."

"And when did I become Stark again?", the engineer whispered. Loki's gaze snapped back to him and it was met with big, dark brown eyes. Stark looked _hurt_ and it gave the god's insides a vicious twist. He stepped closer and the mortal's glance dropped to the floor. Without really knowing what he was doing, Loki extended a hand and threaded it through Sta– _Tony_'s tousled, curly hair, being rewarded by a surprised glance upwards from under dark eyelashes.

"I apologize", he said quietly. "I reacted impulsively and made assumptions where you were just curious. I... fell back into old habits." After a second, he added: "Tony." It was not an actual part of the sentence, but expressed clearly enough that his anger had faded away.

"I'm not really one to talk about impulsive reactions, so I can't hold it against you", the engineer replied with a small smile.

"But there is something I still cannot understand", Loki said suddenly. "If you were just looking for the colour of my eyes, why did you have a picture of my... Jotun skin? My eyes were and always will be red when I am like that."

"I – uh..." The engineer started to fidget in his seat, nervously squinting up at the hand in his hair that could easily rip his head of any second. Confused, Loki noticed he was _blushing_, something that was really not usual for the man. "I kinda... sort of... likeitverymuchwhenyoulooklikethatbecauseIthinkyoulookhot", he blurted out. "Even if you don't like it yourself."

The god stared at him in disbelief, stunned to silence for a few seconds. Then, he felt himself starting to grin and mused: "I was aware of your strange tastes, but that seems off, even for me." Half of it was facade though; he had no idea how to react to that kind of confession since he himself was still disgusted by his Jotun skin. "I would still like you not to tell the others", he stated, changing the topic, withdrawing his hand to link it with the other one behind his back.

Tony followed the movement with his eyes before protesting: "Seriously? I still don't get why you would keep that to yourself! You –" He hesitated, then his tone grew softer as he continued: "You don't like sharing things with others, do you." It was not really a question. "You won't tell them about the icy thing, which I can somehow understand, but this is _for_ and not _against_ you. You just don't like to share anything about yourself, right? Now that I think about it, you never talk about yourself."

Loki swallowed and took a tiny step back. This conversation took a direction he didn't like a bit.

"I mean, you're talking _with_ us, but only about others, or about what you see or find out or what you think. While Thor is always rambling about his stuff, I never even heard one story from you." His eyes had gotten a bit of the expression he used to show when figuring out a puzzle or one of his scientific mysteries. "If someone'd ask me who you are, I'd have no answer. I mean, aside from the usual titles, 'God of Sass and Badassery' et cetera? I know nothing about you."

"Was that a compliment?", the 'God of Sass and Badassery' asked drily.

"See, you're doing it again!", Tony accused, pointing his finger. "You're changing the topic to how I say things, rather than _what_ I said."

"What do you want to hear, Tony?", Loki sighed. "I will not tell you tales about glorious battles or epic journeys like he does. That is Thor's metier, not mine."

"No, I don't even wanna hear that", the engineer waved it off. "Something about you. Really just you. Like..." He grinned. "When have you got a girlfriend for the last time?"

"As a matter of fact, I am married."

"What?!" The mortal's jaw dropped. "You're – I mean, not that I'd have a problem with that, but – I didn't think you as a person for that sort of... you know..."

His helpless stammering caused Loki to laugh and just for the fun of it, he added: "And I also have nine children." Now, Tony just gaped. "Well, do you want to hear some stories? You asked for them." He teleported himself to the couch in the corner of the room and sat down. "I hope you have some time to spare."

"Um, well", Tony stuttered, "I – I had no plans anyway." He rose from his chair and strolled over to the god. "Bring it on, then."

Storytime ;) Thoughts, anyone?


	3. The day Loki discovered Frostiron

Because obviously, Loki discovering the internet is a thing that has to happen.

"Tony?"

"Huh?" The engineer looked up from a circuit to glance at Loki who was sprawled out on his couch. "What's up?"

"What is a Frostiron?", the god asked, his eyes trained on the tablet in his hands.

Tony chuckled and just commented: "Guess it was just a matter of time until you'd discover that part of the internet. But it's not for sensitive eyes, lemme warn you. People ship us." Loki gave him a quizzical look, but the millionaire just waved a hand at him. "Go, traumatize yourself. I warned you."

About two and a half hour later, Tony put his tools aside and strolled over to the god who was still sitting in the same spot as before. He strolled over to him, crouching down to find out what he was looking at. The sight made him groan.

"Seriously?", he demanded. "I gave you a library and you go and read _fanfiction_?"

The god shrugged and glanced up at him while replying: "I think some of them are quite amusing. Also, there are some amazing artists in your world, were you aware?" He tapped something on the screen and then turned it to show a picture to Tony. The engineer's eyes widened as he looked at it; it was clearly a photo manipulation, showing him with his chest bare and bound to two wooden posts and Loki – in his armour – pulling his head back by his hair and whispering _something _in his ear.

Noticing that he had stared _(gaped)_ at it for half a minute now, Tony cleared his throat and looked back at Loki who regarded him with a small smirk. Slowly he said: "You, Loki, are a kinky little bastard." The god's smirk turned into a full-grown grin and he turned the Stark Pad back to himself. "You're not seriously reading Frostiron fanfics, are you?" When there was no response, the millionaire buried his face in his hands. "Oh god, I can imagine this now. You commenting some smutty porn stuff, probably with capslock, and being all like 'How dare you, puny mortal, I would never let the Man of Iron be on top if we were doing this!'"

"First", Loki replied calmly, without so much as looking up, "it is Thor who is constantly using capslock if he writes at all. Second, it was also Thor who called you Man of Iron, I never did that. And third, why wouldn't I?"

This stunned Tony to silence for a few seconds. If he hadn't blushed before, he did now. Because yeah, he _might_ have a little crush on Loki (because _come on_, tall, dark, sassy, intelligent, and a hot leather armour? Tony was only human, how should he resist that?), but even after the god had told him that his marriage was only arranged, he had thought him as the kind of person who would stick to traditions like fidelity and... stuff. Meaning, about the exact opposite of Tony.

"Are you well?", Loki asked now, startling him out of his thoughts.

The engineer winced and then laughed before replying: "Yep, of course, just a little... lost in thoughts, that's all. I... jeez, I've got a Norse deity in my tower who's a fanfiction reader. Because my life was so normal before."

"I think our shippers are most... creative", the prince replied (and the word _shipper_ from the lips of someone who sounded like an outdated textbook most of the time was just hilarious). "Wait..." He scrolled through a document, apparently searching for a certain passage.

"Oh god, you're not gonna read this out to me, are you?" No response. "Loki. Loki, _no_. Don't you _dare_. This is strange enough as it is. You're kidding me, right?" Without paying attention to his protests, Loki exclaimed: "Ah, here it is!" He grinned and began to read.

"_Tony was alone in the penthouse of his tower and currently heading towards one of the couches, a glass of scotch in his hands, when he noticed a slight shift in the air. That was the only warning he got before he was grabbed from behind and pulled backwards, flush against a leather-clad chest. The movement elicited a girlish shriek from him which he would later deny having ever come from his mouth."_

"Bullshit, I don't do shrieking", the real Tony muttered. "I – _Loki_!" The last word was a yelp, caused by the god extending a hand and shamelessly _squeezing his backside_.

"Close enough", Loki commented and retreated his arm to scroll down further before continuing his lecture.

"_'You did not actually believe you would get rid of me this easily, did you?', Loki purred into Tony's ear, his lips brushing the skin lightly and causing the mortal to shiver."_

At the way Loki read out, Tony had to suppress a shudder. It was _way_ too convincing – and the bastard probably knew exactly what he was doing. If he noticed the engineer's reaction, he didn't comment on it.

"_'And if I did?', Tony asked, trying to sound composed. He didn't move an inch while Loki's lips travelled down his neck, barely touching the sensitive skin. Not like he really had a choice – one of the deity's arms was encircling his chest and holding him close in a firm grip, and the other hand was laying on his hip, suggestively low._

_'Then you were terribly wrong', Loki whispered. Then, he let go and took a step back so Tony could turn around and see his malicious smirk. 'Kneel.'"_

"Alright, Lokes, I think you're creeping me out", the engineer stated. "I don't even want to know what happens next." His cheeks were burning red (and that was... no, just no, he didn't _do_ blushing!) and Loki should never be allowed to read out things to him. That was terrible.

The prince looked up at him and grinned. "I did not think you were so prudish", he stated teasingly.

"I'm not _prudish, _I am just disturbed by the fact that you're reading this", Tony defended himself.

"_I_ like it", the god responded.

Tony took a deep breath before asking (with a good edge of incredulity): "Are you _flirting_ with me?"

"I don't know. Does it work?"

The engineer huffed a laugh and replied: "I'm not sure. I think I need some more data on that before concluding anything. A few more tests, you know? So I've got a few results that I can compare and analyse. Otherwise, the outcome could be imprecise and we wouldn't want that."

"Oh no, we wouldn't", Loki breathed while laying the tablet aside. Then, without any further warning, he seized Tony's waist and pulled him forward (he did _not_ shriek, dammit!) so he lost his balance and ended up straddling the god on the couch, hands on the cushions either side of his head as not to fall over. "So, where should we start the tests?", Loki drawled, his voice low, almost a purr.

"Not sure", Tony muttered, slightly breathless. "Any ideas?"

"Plenty", came the reply and the engineer felt chilly hands slip under his shirt, sliding up his chest and then over his sides to rest at the small of his back and pull him even closer. He leaned in and tangled his hands in Loki's hair, hesitating for a few more seconds while he met the god's bright green eyes, and then he decided to go for _what could possibly go wrong_ and kissed him.

Apparently, it was not the wrong thing to do – no, far from that: The god returned the kiss eagerly and was fast to take control, placing a small bite on Tony's lower lip. It sent a shiver down his spine and he granted the prince access just too willingly.

When they parted (and god, Loki looked gorgeous with ruffled hair and a blush), Tony stated, only a little out of breath: "I think... the test results are positive. _Very_ positive. So, um, yes. I guess it works."

"About time", Loki replied with a little smile. "Because I really despise fanfiction."

. /8fcfab2a95585c53aa5277325174a727/tumblr_n78pibVIq81qk0c38o1_ Here's what Loki showed Tony... (RDJ reposted this on facebook and wrote "That happens when you google yourself, kids".)

watch?v=lsEXNvk53_o And _this_ is the reason why he should _never_ be allowed to read audiobooks! .


	4. Voicemail

_23 missed calls, 11 messages on your voicemail, 5 SMS._

Loki stared at the display of his StarkPhone and rubbed a hand over his face tiredly. He had just left the bed and checked the display of the small device that seemed to have been very active during the night. Luckily, he had muted it before going to sleep.

Every single message was from Tony.

He tapped onto the SMS first.

09:01 pm

_u mad, bro? ;)_

09:07 pm

_Sulking? Come on, at least answer me._

09:15 pm

_Are you coming back today?_

09:19 pm

_Loooooookiiii, I'm gonna spam you._

09:20 pm

_LOKIII!_

Rolling his eyes, the god closed the application and considered just ignoring the voicemail. After their argument the evening before, he had teleported into the small apartment he had in New York (which Tony, of course, didn't know of or else he'd probably have come there to annoy him further). But 23 missed calls? Maybe he should at least start listening.

09:21 pm

"_I, um... hey. It's Tony. I just wanted to... jeez, I hate apologizing, but I think I really need to this time, huh? Well, here you go: I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that, I was angry and didn't think... much. I guess that's all. Sorry."_

The mortal's voice sounded strangely subdued, carrying a tone Loki had rarely ever heard from him before. Frowning, he continued to listen to the messages relayed for him.

10:01 pm

"_Hey, Loki, Tony again. Did you get my message? Come on, please don't give me the cold shoulder, you know I can't stand that. I can't stand silence in general, and here I'm rambling again. Please tell me you're not one of these persons who never listen to their voicemail... like me. Usually, Pepper does that. Shit. Just call back, okay?_"

Loki could imagine the engineer running a hand through his hair and staring up at the ceiling while talking. It was a strangely solemn picture.

11:25 pm

"_Loki? Please pick up your phone."_

This one, just six words, sounded so incredibly lost and pleading that Loki felt a sharp sting of bad conscience while listening to it. He had gone to bed immediately after returning home (although the tower felt more like home to him than this apartment he hardly ever used at all) and Tony must have thought he'd ignored him all evening long. Had he been awake, he probably would have; he had been incredibly angry at the insolent mortal.

00:17 am

"_Come on. Stop sulking. Yes, I screwed up, but you did, too, if I may remind you. Quit the diva act and just call the fuck back, Mr I-magic-my-way-out-of-every-fucking-annoying-situation._"

And just like that, all of Loki's regret was gone.

00:18 am

"_Fuck, I did it again. Sorry, Lokes. I'm sitting here and I feel like a complete idiot. I am one, right? Please, call back. Even if it's just to tell me I'm stupid. Or message me or something._" The next words sounded more distant, as if Tony had lowered the phone already. "_Fuck, I need a drink._"

And that drink he seemed to have since in the next message, his voice sounded slightly slurred and his sentences were less coherent than before.

00:43 am

"_This is why I don't do feelings. I keep fucking up, everything and everyone, first Pep, now you. C'mon, Snowflake, give me – just fucking talk to me. This is – you're sulking, stop it. Stop acting like I'm perfect and not allowed to make mistakes, 'cause you know I'm far from it. I said something wrong, I apologized, now _calm down_. Or wasn't it enough? This is a voicemail, you can just repeat it and listen to me telling you I'm sorry and an idiot all over again. _Please_, come back. Or... or call back. Whatever._"

The next recording was even worse.

02:37 am

"_Y'are fucking kiddin' me, right? I made a goddamn joke about daddy issues, well boo-fucking-hoo, get over it. Get your shit together, Lokes. You're acting like some spoiled little teen an' I know you're not. Stop it."_

After that, Tony started to sound surprisingly sober again.

03:15 am

"_You win. I'm sorry, you win, I'm an idiot, I'll say anything you want, but please just call back._"

04:24 am

"_Jesus Christ, Loki, _pick the fucking phone up_. You can't actually be asleep, right? I've been awake the whole night and you wanna tell me you just slept through it? Not buying it, buddy. You can't tell me this doesn't bother you. I hate fighting with you. Knowing my luck, you're not even listening to your voicemail, like, ever. Or maybe once a year or something."_

04:30 am

"_I'm running out of things to say. Come on, Lokes. Don't be that guy."_

05:41 am

"_Loki, please. You got me begging and that's more than anyone ever managed before. I love you, Lokes, you know that, and you know I'm sorry, but please just come back... Come home."_

_No more messages. To repeat this message, press..._

Slowly, Loki lowered the phone. He wasn't angry, not anymore, but he hadn't even thought of the possibility of their argument upsetting the mortal that much. Towards the end, he had sounded more and more miserable, and although Loki had wanted him to feel bad when he had left, he hadn't thought in such dimensions. Now, he felt silly and childish for his retreat the evening before.

With a sigh, he shed the clothes he had slept in and dressed in black jeans and a dark green button-up shirt. A glance at the clock on his nightstand told him in red numbers that it was 08:12 am. Running a hand through his hair, he searched for the energy pattern of the arc reactor (it made it easier to detect Tony than searching for the mortal's own, small aura). As expected, it was in the area of Stark Tower and Loki instantly teleported to the engineer's side.

Tony was passed out cold on a couch in his penthouse, a bottle of scotch laying on its side on the floor next to him with some sad remnants of the golden liquid inside.

Cursing under his breath, Loki made a small gesture and the bottle disappeared. Then, he crouched down to the mortal. He was laying on his back, his head turned awkwardly to the side. One of his hands was draped over the arc reactor in a subconscious, protective gesture, the fingers of the other were curled loosely around the phone resting beside his head. It steered a guilty feeling in Loki as he picked his mortal up, careful as not to wake him up, and watched the small device slip from his hand and fall onto the cushions with a soft thud. Tony's fingers twitched as if missing the weight and he made a soft sound when the god held him closer to his chest. He would laugh if he were awake now, Loki could practically hear him taunting: _Bridal style, Snowflake? Really?_

With quiet, small steps he carried the engineer into the elevator and was once again grateful for JARVIS because the cabin started to move towards Tony's floor without Loki having to give any command. When they arrived, the god laid his lover down onto the ridiculously large bed, carefully tugging the sheets over him after brushing his hand against the other's cold fingers. He pulled Tony's socks off before he fastened the blanket around his also cold feet. Only when he reached up to pull it over the man's shoulders, too, he saw that Tony was awake and watching him. For a second, he stopped in his tracks, but then just continued what he had started.

Then, he turned around and took a step away from the bed when the mortal's hoarse voice stopped him: "Don't." He cleared his throat before trying again: "Don't go, I mean. Please. I'm sorry about what I said yesterday, it was childish and stupid, I know that, and I –"

"Hush, Anthony", Loki interrupted and seized an armchair to drag it over to the side of the bed. "I was not going to leave."

Tony, who had ruined Loki's work of wrapping him in a blanket by propping himself up on his elbows, exhaled and then snorted: "And there I'm lifting weights and running like an idiot to stay in shape, and my boyfriend goes around lifting armchairs. How's that fair now?"

"Be quiet and go back to sleep. We can discuss everything later."

"I can't just go back to sleep now", Tony protested. Albeit looking tired, he managed a stern gaze while continuing: "What I said, that whole embarrassing rambling on your voicemail – please tell me you listened to that – I meant it. I never meant to insult you that badly, I just –"

"You called me '_a spoiled brat with daddy-issues who can't appreciate what he's got'_, excuse my agitation!", Loki snapped sharply.

"I didn't know it'd upset you that much! And you could have stayed to listen to me instead of magicking away to sulk!", Tony shot back.

"I have no need to listen to your rambling about things you know nothing about!", Loki hissed. In a matter of minutes, the mortal had brought his fury from the day before right back. "If you think you can judge the way I deal with my family, then you –"

"There!" Tony snipped his fingers and raised one of them into the air. "That's the point. _Your family._ You have one, you've had it for a thousand years, and you throw them away in a temper tantrum! That's what pisses me off. Just look at it. Thor loves you, he absolutely does, and every time he goes to Asgard he returns with greetings from your mother that you don't even bother to reply to."

"She's not my –"

"You act like a fucking child and you don't even notice!", the engineer interrupted. "They love you and you refuse to accept it. So maybe your father's an asshole, I can understand – I can relate with that, but that doesn't mean you've got to push away the rest of your family as well!"

Loki rose from his chair, his teeth gritted in anger as he hissed: "I have no need to listen to this ridiculous –"

"Oh, now that it's getting uncomfortable, you're going to do your magical escaping trick? Nice, Loki, that's gonna solve _all_ of your problems, I'm sure", Tony sneered, sarcasm practically dripping from his words. "If you're gonna run away all the time, then nothing's going to change- It won't solve any of your problems and I know you're not stupid enough to believe it would."

"I know it will not, but as you said, those are _my_ problems and not yours!", the god stated sharply. This was not what he had wanted, not at all. He had wanted to accept the mortal's apologies and forget about their argument, to move on. Not start it all over again.

"They're not! We're in a relationship, Loki, and I'd be the worst boyfriend ever if I wouldn't care about your problems as well."

"But _I _don't care about them, so why would you?!"

"Because I can tell you're lying, I know you long enough!", Tony snapped. "Maybe you should just swallow your pride for once and talk to them."

"You think my pride is what holds me back? What do you know, you infuriating little..." Loki saw the engineer rolling his eyes and sighed. This whole discussion was pointless, running in circles over and over again. They were not getting anywhere near a solution, not if neither of them gave up and they were both stubborn, nobody liked that part. But maybe he could end this discussion just for now. "You know what? If it shuts you up, I will think about it."

Tony grinned. "See, it's not that hard."

"That was not a _yes_."

"I know, but that's just because your skull is about as thick as my armour."

"Because _you_ are one to talk, yes?", the god snorted.

"Absolutely. And now", Tony lifted the blanket in a clear invitation, "come here."

"Oh, forget it, you reek of alcohol. I am not going to kiss you like that, it's disgusting", Loki stated firmly, his arms crossed in front of his chest and his nose scrunched.

"Then don't kiss me, just spoon me. I'm cold." The last word was a pitiful whine, accompanied by a pleading look out of Tony's dark brown eyes.

"Not fair", the prince mumbled before kicking off his shoes and complying.

"Don't give me the grumpy expression, I know you love me, no matter what you say", the mortal teased and Loki rolled his eyes. As Tony shoved his icy hands under the god's dark green shirt, he winced, grimacing, and wondered what good it was to be a frost giant if it didn't prevent you from suffering under your boyfriend's cold feet at night; but he didn't complain, because to be honest, the one night he had spent without this annoyingly chilly cuddling he hadn't slept half as good as he used to.


	5. Let's prove it

"So, Loki?"

"Mh?"

"Are we going to tell the others?"

They were sitting on a couch (or, to be precise, Loki sat and Tony was sprawled out on the cushions with his head in the god's lap) in the workshop that Tony had brought down there when Loki's visits down here had become a regular thing. Currently, the prince was absently threading a hand through his boyfriend's hair and flipped to the pages of a book with the other one.

"We are together for three days and you want to tell them? You are impatient, aren't you?", he asked, smiling.

"Have you known me to be anything else?", Tony retorted and reached upwards to twirl one of Loki's dark locks between his fingers. "Those have gotten long."

"Try to stick to one topic while talking", the god advised. "Do you think I should cut them?"

"Great to see how serious you take your own orders", Tony muttered. He was tired, and at the moment, the couch with Loki was the most beautiful place in the world he could imagine. "But no, I like them. I think you should leave them like that. Oh, and we don't have to tell them if you don't want to, but since you're part of the team, too, I don't think we've got to hide."

"If you want to tell them, then we can do it", Loki said. "I'm fine either way."

"Really?" Tony grinned. "Because I really wanna see Cap's face."

They ended up waiting another two days until Tony brought it up during team dinner: "Guys, I've got a thing." The reaction was a collective 'uh-huh'. "I... actually expected a more... thrilling reaction than that."

"Tony, you're having things _all the time_", Natasha said. "Do you honestly expect us to be surprised?"

"No, I mean, like, a _real_ thing!", the engineer defended himself. "Not just one night."

"Sure", the assassin replied and reached for the salt.

"Maybe you ought to tell them who you are talking about", Loki suggested.

"Yes, right. Nice idea. I'm together with Loki." _Now, _he got an appropriate reaction.

"Ah, fuck!", Clint blurted out. Tony blinked in confusion as the archer reached into his pocket and pulled out a crumpled dollar note and handed it to Natasha. "Couldn't you have waited another week?"

"Well, we – wait, Bruce?!" The physicist smiled, apparently at least a little bit embarrassed, and shrugged as he bent over the table to hand Natasha a bill, followed suit by Bucky. "He's on the team for three weeks and you got him to participate? Guys, come on, you're corrupting innocent hearts here", Tony muttered.

"Innocent hearts?", the soldier snorted. "Stark, what are you thinking of me? Not everybody from the 40's is such a sweetheart as our Stevie."

"Point taken", the inventor admitted. "But you've seriously had bets about me and Loki getting together?"

"Not _if_ you would get together", Natasha amended, "but _when_. The way you two were tip-toeing around each other... Only a matter of time." With a smug little smile, she pocketed the money and then returned her attention to the bowl in front of her.

"Tip-toeing?", Tony echoed. "We weren't – Loki, were we tip-toeing?"

"Well", the god mused, dipping a slice of bread in his chicken soup thoughtfully, "I might have been more conscious about my actions when I was around you as to not set you off."

"Okay, I was careful too with not totally making you hate me, but we weren't _tip-toeing_. That's the overstatement of the century."

"Whatever, why don't you just eat up and accept the congratulations?", Steve chimed in. "This tastes really bad when it's cold and I want you to eat everything up."

"Aye, aye, Captain", Tony said with a mock-salute.

It was only after dinner that he noticed that Thor had not said one single word during the whole conversation.

When he returned from a meeting the next afternoon, taking the elevator straight to Loki's floor, he could hear the shouting already before he even stepped out into the hallway. It was only an indistinct noise at first, but he could clearly make out Thor's voice by its booming sound. As soon as the metal doors opened, he could understand the words, too. It seemed like he had caught the middle of a heated argument.

"– simply do not think he is the right choice for you!" Oh, this already sounded like something he absolutely didn't want to hear.

Loki not either, as it seemed, because he yelled right back: "This is none of _your _concern, Thor, so I don't get why you should have any say in that matter!" The voices came from the living room and hesitantly, Tony made his way down the hallway while listening to the elder god's response (it was hard _not_ to, really).

"Of course it is my concern, Loki, because no matter what you say, I am your brother and I care about you!"

"_Lies_!", Loki screamed, literally _screamed_ on top of his lungs. It was frightening to hear something like that from the prince who was usually so calm and controlled, practically impossible to be angered enough to raise his voice in an argument. Tony hurried his steps. "Those are lies and you know it! Not _I _am the god of lies, but _you_ are, with your false pity and this pretended love you still claim to hold for me!"

"Loki, this is not true and you know it!", Thor shouted back. "Why would you think I did not care about you?!"

If possible, Loki was even louder now. It had to hurt to scream like this, but what stung far more were his words themselves.

"Because if you would care, you would have come for me when I _needed_ you to!"

Tony stopped dead in his tracks with his hand on the door handle as the god's voice cracked halfway through the sentence. After that, there was silence, complete, utter silence, and after a few seconds the engineer swallowed and opened the door just in time to see Loki vanish in a whirl of black and green.

"What the fuck is going on here?", Tony snapped at Thor who turned towards him with a scowl on his face like the inventor was at fault for all his misery at the moment. Instead of an answer, the god shoved him aside and stormed out of the room. "Whoa, what the hell, Thor?!", he called after the prince, but got no response. "Now that went well", he muttered to himself and let the suitcase he had been holding drop to the floor. After a moment of hesitation, he pulled out his phone and dialled Loki's number.

Only seconds later, the tinny sound of AC/DC's Shoot to Thrill being played by too small speakers. Turning in confusion, he spotted Loki's phone on a drawer beside the bed. Right, he had programmed all the ringtones.

"Fucking great", he muttered to himself, sliding his own Stark Phone back into his pocket. Then, he kicked off his shoes and pulled off the dress jacket he had been wearing before slumping down on the large couch. Nothing to do but wait now.

Loki returned about five hours later. Tony looked up and smiled softly as he commented: "Good you're back, I was starting to run out of energy here." He waved his phone through the air before tossing it to the side carelessly, then extended his arms towards the god who had just appeared in the middle of the room. "Come here." After a moment of hesitation Loki complied and slumped down on the couch beside him, leaning against the engineer's shoulder with a heavy sigh. Tony shuffled a bit so he could wrap his arms around the other. He didn't ask about where he had been or what he had done for that long, but allowed Loki to take his time and make the decision for himself.

After a while, the god begun quietly: "I had an argument with Thor."

"I know", Tony replied. At the prince's surprised glance upwards he explained: "I was just coming from that board meeting and caught the last few sentences." He had been very tempted to watch the record, but had ultimately decided against it because he knew how much Loki valued his privacy.

"He believes that you are not going to do me any good." Loki sounded very uncertain, speaking more into the fabric of the inventor's shirt than to the man himself. Almost as if he would ask him to deny that, ask him to prove that was not the case, ask him to prove Thor wrong.

Gently, Tony lifted Loki's chin and tried not to flinch at the lost expression in the god's green eyes. He asked quietly: "Do _you_ believe that?"

There was a hesitation, a pause that felt like someone taking Tony's heart in his hand and squeezing tightly. Just the fact that Loki needed so long to decide if he thought Tony was going to hurt him felt like a slap to the face. But eventually, the god shook his head and Tony felt a relieved smile spreading on his face. _You__'__ve been together for three days, how can you expect absolute trust after that short time span?_, he reminded himself. _You__'__ll have to prove him that you can keep him safe._

And although that thought felt strange at first, Tony realized that he really wanted that. He wanted Loki to be able to feel safe with him and he wanted to prove that he could be what the god needed. He wanted, for once, just to do everything right. He wanted to do this _good_, because he felt like it was right what they were doing. He just needed a chance to show that to the others.

"Then let's prove to Thor that we can be good for each other", he whispered and saw Loki's face light up slightly.

"Yes", the prince whispered. "Let's do that."


	6. Jealous? You wish

"So you're going out on a date? Like, a real date without killing people or blowing stuff up? Or blowing people up and killing stuff? Or getting blown to bits and –"

"_Yes_, Barton", Loki cut in, clearly annoyed by the archer's rambling. "Believe it or not, I am able to go out with my lover without causing mayhem."

"Which was absolutely not expected", Romanov drawled from the sofa she was sprawled out on with a book.

"I am glad you've all got so much confidence in me", Loki commented drily, rolling his eyes, while he tugged on the sleeve of his white dress shirt under the black suit.

Just in that moment Tony came in, also in a black suit, and stopped for a moment at seeing Loki. It took him a second until he found out how to use his tongue again: "Darling, you look _gorgeous_."

"Oh my _god_", Clint groaned. "Look at them. They're all over each other. They're fucking wearing matching outfits." Which was true: Both men were dressed in perfectly fitting black suits, together with immaculate white button-ups and ties (which were different by the way, Tony's a dark wine red and Loki's in his trademark green). "If you two get any more cute with each other, I'm gonna – god, Tony, _no_!" The archer's protests were ignored and Tony continued straightening Loki's tie. "Okay, nope, get out of my eyes, you're terrible."

"Get a girlfriend, Barton", Tony advised and stepped back. "You're perfect, Snowflake."

"Nicknames? _Really_? This is too much", Clint mumbled. "You're giving me diabetes. Go away – oh holy mother of God – not _you_, Loki – they're holding hands. Nicknames and tie-straightening and holding hands, this is too much. Shoo, get out of here or I'm going insane."

"He means to tell you to have fun", Bruce chimed in gently.

"Yep", Natasha agreed. "But you're still disgustingly sweet. So go have fun."

"Where we can't see you", Clint added.

Tony just stuck his tongue out to all of them while the elevator closed, then turned towards his boyfriend. "I still mean it. You should wear suits more often."

"Says the one who spends half of his free time in underwear", Loki replied smoothly. "Or completely without clothing." The inventor just shrugged with a grin. "Are you telling me where we are going?"

"Stop asking, I want to surprise you and if you make these curious children's eyes all the time it's getting really hard to not tell you", Tony replied.

"That is my intention", Loki pointed out with a smirk. He didn't ask anymore though, but sat in the car with his boyfriend ("Look at this baby, Lokes, I rebuilt it myself like, 92 percent of it. This is practically nothing from the crap it's been before, because honestly, it _was_ crap before, but it _looked _so great so I decided to buy it and put something nice under that awesome housing. For example here, it has an...") and listened to his rambling, enjoying the delightful sparkle in his eyes as he drove and talked. It passed the time easily and soon, they stopped in a street lined with shops and restaurants.

Tony turned off the engine and turned towards Loki, still sitting in the driver's seat, to ask: "Well then, Snowflake, ever eaten Spanish before?" The god shook his head; they had tried a lot of the various things Midgard's culinary richness had to offer, but he could not recall having eaten 'Spanish' before. "Then it's time to make that up", the engineer declared enthusiastically while unfastening his seatbelt. "We get you something nice, and then, I'll have to make you try Churros con Chocolate. Rings a bell? No? Okay, lemme help you." He left the car and hurried over to Loki's side so he could open the door for him, smiling brightly.

"You seem very convinced that I am going to like it", the god commented, although Tony's cheerful mood made him smile himself.

"Oh, you will, I promise. Try to imagine what fried dough and chocolate and love and hugs taste like, and then you can imagine Churros con Chocolate. But first... Empanadas. You'll need to try Empanadas."

"How can you talk about food to _that_ extend?", Loki asked, laughing, while he let the inventor link arms with him to drag him along.

"Wait 'til you tried it and you'll understand. You're such a sweets fan, I bet you'd love Crema Catalana."

"Crema Catalana?", the god repeated and Tony shook his head.

"No, rrrroll the 'r'. _Crrrema._" He snickered and looked up. "Come in, we're there." Loki looked up at the building they had stopped at and read the large sign over the entrance saying _La Tasca de Alexandra. _Before he had time to really take it in, Tony pulled him inside where he was greeted by a young woman, clearly Spanish judging by her looks (because _that_ much Loki had learned until now).

"Alexandra, mi amor!", Tony exclaimed (rolling the 'r', of course), a wide grin on his face as he opened his arms. She laughed and he greeted her with a fast kiss on both cheeks before turning back to Loki who had been watching them in silence. "Alex, this is Loki. Loki, meet Alex."

"Hi", she said, still smiling widely, and extended a hand for Loki to shake. "I'm Alexandra, the owner." She chuckled. "Obviously." Her words were accompanied by a very light accent.

"It is a pleasure to meet you", he said politely, accepting the hand. He didn't attempt to stir a conversation though, but glanced over at Tony who was quick to take over again.

"It's great to see you again, I haven't been here for far too long", he stated and she nodded.

"I absolutely agree. I'm still waiting for you dragging your crazy bunch of heroes with you here", she answered lightly, causing the engineer to laugh.

"Believe me, you wouldn't want that", he responded. "They're fit for bars and stuff, but not for a restaurant. Maybe I'll call you to hang out sometimes." He winked playfully.

"You know I won't let this drop now you've offered it, right?", Alex warned. "Come on, I'm going to show you your table." She led them through the quiet, rarely occupied restaurant while continuing her bickering with Tony. It sure looked nice, the furnishing was elegant and the lighting soft, not even a bit too bright. "Sit down, please", she said, motioning towards a small table with a candle standing in the middle of it. They both complied and Alexandra pulled out a clipboard before asking: "Any idea what you're going to eat already?"

"We'll have Crema Catalana", Tony said immediately (and of course with a perfectly rrrolled 'r', "and Churros con Chocolate."

She chuckled and replied: "That's great, Tony, really, but don't you think you should have the main course before the dessert?"

"Ah, yes, main course. Right." Tony looked sheepish. "Well, I wanted Loki to try Empanadas and... those little.." He stared at the air, snapping his fingers absently. "You know what I mean, the... Albondigas, that's the one!", he exclaimed triumphantly. "And I loved the Croquetas last time, could we have some of those?"

"You know what?", Alex chimed in, pocketing the clipboard. "How about I get you a large plate with _everything_ so you don't have to choose."

"Sounds great. You're an angel", the inventor stated.

"I know", she said. "But start calling me Angela again and I'll throw you out, it doesn't even have anything to do with angels."

"But _angelo _–"

"It's _Italian_, Tony", she interrupted, scolding him. "Those are two different languages. Also, you only get the dessert after the main course."

"Yes, mum", he muttered, crossing his arms and pouting like a small child. "Surprise me with the wine."

"Good", Alexandra praised and then turned around, leaving Tony to Loki again who frowned first at her, then at his boyfriend.

"Hey, what's with the grumpy face?", Tony asked lightly.

Loki hesitated before asking: "You... like her, don't you?"

The engineer shrugged. "Well, of course, we've known each other for a few years now and she's funny as well as intelligent, so I – _wait_." A grin spread on his face, delighted and full of glee. "Are you _jealous, _Loki?"

"Of course not!", the prince protested. "I am above that sort of..."

"You're _jealous_!", Tony cut in, his smile growing more teasing with each passing second. He rested his elbows on the table and leaned forward. "You're jealous 'cause I'm getting along with Alex, aren't you? Aw, Lokes, have you any idea how cute that is?"

The god snorted and stared at the wall above the mortal's head, trying to fight off the blush creeping up his cheeks as he insisted: "I am _not_ jealous of a pathetic little mortal."

"You know, _I _am a pathetic little mortal too", the inventor reminded.

"That's something else."

"So you're absolutely sure you're not jealous?", Tony asked, obviously not taking it seriously.

"Not at all", Loki confirmed. "Jealous, I mean."

"Don't worry, I won't try to steal Tony from you", Alexandra (who had returned with a bottle of wine and two glasses) commented, embarrassing the prince even more. She hadn't been supposed to _hear_ that, damn it. "He's quite a handful, I think." Grinning, she ruffled a hand through Loki's hair before turning around to leave again.

The god remained stunned to silence for a few seconds before he said slowly: "Did she just... touch my hair." It wasn't even a question.

"Yup", Tony answered anyway. "She's a bit crazy, but of the nice sort. She's great to spend time with. Anyway, seriously now: You know I'm not gonna cheat on you, right?" He had lost his playfulness and looked very sincere now as he reached over the table to grasp one of the god's hands.

Loki nodded slowly and replied: "Yes, I... suppose I know that." He smiled. "But I still dislike it when you act so acquainted with her."

"Which does by no means indicate that you're jealous, of course", the engineer added, winking.

"Right. Not at all."

Soon after they had 'agreed' on that, the food arrived. As Tony had predicted, Loki absolutely loved it and they ended up ordering seconds (and thirds). Alexandra was delighted over the god's appetite and seemed to enjoy the couple's bickering and constant back and forth whenever she came over to their table (because apparently, Tony didn't just get any random waitress, but the owner herself). It turned out to be a great evening and when they were finished, Alexandra led them outside where it was dark already.

"It's been great to see you again", Tony said, smiling, as the two repeated the gesture from before: a short kiss to each cheek.

"Yep", she agreed. "Am I going to see you two again soon?"

The inventor glanced at Loki and wanted to give a vague answer, but the god was faster as he replied with a bright, charming smile: "Of course you will, the evening was most enjoyable." Then, in front of a perplexed Tony Stark, he stepped towards and bent down slightly to mimic the gesture the two mortals had exchanged before. When he pulled back, Alexandra looked just as surprised as Tony. "Until next time then."

"Um, yes, sure", she nodded and smiled. "Have a good trip home!"

The two walked silently towards the car for a minute, Loki smirking to himself, until Tony blurted out: "She blushed, did you see that? She didn't blush when _I _kissed her."

"That is surely because you two know each other for _so_ long already", the prince replied.

"Are you sure? Because I think –"

"Tony, you wouldn't happen to be _jealous_, would you?", Loki drawled complacently.

"Oh, _shut_ up."


	7. Falling

IT IS OFFICIAL NOW!  
This series has like no timeline at all. Don't try to see one, these are basically just one-shots, really.

Have fun either way.

Tony was wearing a pinstripe suit. Underneath, a white button-up and a dark blue tie, a silver wristwatch, everything perfectly arranged, his hair in the kind of style that was unruly, but in a way that gave away that he had spent quite some time making it look like that.

To sum it up: he looked gorgeous. And that was the problem.

Loki _hated_ pinstripe suits.

Still, he couldn't help but admit that he found Tony absolutely dashing in one. He knew what it meant. It meant he was falling. He was falling _hard_.

"Snowflake, I'm off!", the inventor announced and stole a quick kiss from his boyfriend who was still sprawled out on their bed. "See you for lunch." Then, he was out of the door, babbling commands to JARVIS on his way out, and Loki turned onto his back to stare at the ceiling.

He was on the Avengers team for just a little more than half a year now and it had been Tony who had first approached him and treated him as a person instead from acting like he was some poisonous animal ready to lash out at anybody who got too close. (Which he had been at some point, true enough, but what were you supposed to do if that was what everybody expected?)

Deciding not to dwell on that any longer, Loki pushed his hair back from his face and got into some comfortable clothes before heading to the kitchen where he hoped Steve was preparing breakfast by now.

He wasn't disappointed and greeted the other Avengers with a smile and a nod before sitting down and starting to poke around on his pancakes. Despite his initial intent to stop thinking about it, his thoughts wandered back to his relationship with Tony. He was starting to _adore_ the mortal and that was something he really couldn't have. If that man started to look attractive in a _pinstripe suit_, then there had to be something really wrong with Loki's perception. He couldn't start to look at the world – or, in this case, Tony – through rose-coloured glasses, that could absolutely not be happening. He was a god, for goodness' sake. It wasn't that he would be forbidding himself to love somebody, no; but this was starting to become some blind adoration. _A damn pinstripe suit._

_You are aware of how pathetic you sound right now, yes_?, he asked himself. _Making a fuss about a bloody pinstripe suit... _

"Loki, are you alright?", Natasha asked from across the table and the god looked up from where he had been dissecting his pancake without actually eating anything.

"Yes, of course", he answered quickly and as if to prove his point, he shoved a bit of pancake into his mouth and smiled with stuffed cheeks. After swallowing, he added: "I'm merely a little bit tired."

The assassin nodded slowly, obviously not believing a word – he had expected nothing more at the excuse he had so hastily come up with. But she had understood that he felt no wish to talk about what was bothering him and so she didn't try to get an answer.

Loki spent the morning sparring with Thor (which was a very effective way to distract him from his thoughts) and then finishing a book he had started the other day. Just when he reached the final pages, Tony returned from his board meeting and flopped down on the couch beside him.

"Jeez, I'm so glad I'm outta there", he sighed overly dramatically while lazily kicking his expensive leather shoes off. Loki caught a glimpse of his impossible choice of socks – a red flower pattern with a pinstripe suit and a blue tie? Really? – and chuckled quietly. The only person who could wear something like that and still look attractive was his Anthony.

_And here we go again_.

While the engineer rambled beside him, Loki looked him up and down once – the damn pinstripes – and then stared straight ahead without actually looking at anything. He couldn't allow himself to completely rely on Tony and his affection, right? He was mortal, and the mortals were unsteady in their dedications and passions.

"Snowflake?" The tone of Tony's voice made clear that he had tried to get through to him for several times already and he waved a hand in front of the god's face. "Anyone in there?" Loki replied with a subdued yes that only served to deepen the inventor's frown. "Hey, seriously now, are you okay?"

"Yes, I've only been... thinking a lot today", came the reluctant reply.

"Anything I can help you with?"

Loki finally met the other's dark, chocolate-coloured eyes that were fixed at him with a worried expression and seemed so honest that the god suddenly felt bad for ever doubting him. After a second's hesitation, he just spread his arms and said slowly: "If you would just..."

Tony smiled, brightly and almost looking relieved and immediately shifted closer to snuggle into Loki's hold. The prince rested his cheek on his boyfriend's unruly hair and closed his eyes.

So maybe he was falling, and falling hard. But perhaps he could just trust Tony to catch him.


	8. A New Chance

Tony felt the shift in the air that announced Loki before he actually saw his boyfriend. It brought a draft of icy wind with him and the engineer wondered where he'd been this time – for almost five days, mind you.

He turned around to face the god who had appeared right behind him in the kitchen and greeted: "Hey darling, nice to – what the fuck happened?!" Loki met his gaze out of bright red eyes, his hair full of ice crystals that were clinging to his eyelashes as well, and he was pressing a bundle of black cloth to his chest. "Are you okay?"

"Yes, I am", the prince answered, although he appeared to be out of breath. In the warmth of the room, his blue skin started to fade into his pale glamour again. "But I..." He glanced down at the bundle in his arms. Tony had seldomly seen him looking so uncertain and for the first time, he took a closer look at the bundle of black fabric in his arms.

"What's that?", he asked curiously and reached out for it, but Loki jerked backwards and snapped: "_Careful_!"

The engineer frowned, but raised both of his hands in surrender, causing his boyfriend to step closer again, peeling several layers of the fabric back. Slowly, but still curious, he leaned forward and asked: "So, what did you bring that's so – Loki, _did you steal a baby_?!" Incredulously, he stared at the small, _blue_ face and the tiny fists curled beside it. The child was sleeping soundly. Raising his gaze back to Loki, he urged: "You need to bring it back!"

"Her", the god corrected. "And no, I did not steal her and I shan't return her."

"But it – _she_ – she's not...", Tony tried again. "She's... she is..."

"She is a monster? Is that what you are afraid of?", Loki hissed. The child in his arms stirred. "That she is not human, but a –"

"Oh, _come on_, Lokes!", the inventor interrupted, throwing his hands up. "You know exatly how much that's not my problem." The prince relaxed visibly and Tony sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I'm not... I'm not a _father_, Loki. I can't – I can't keep a house plant alive, much less a child. I don't know how to _handle_ that!" His tone had become pleading at the end, pleading for Loki to understand that he was not denying the child, but doubting himself.

The god's expression softened and he spoke more quiet than before: "You are not alone with her, you know that." His eyes, now green again, said something else, something he didn't vocalize: _I've failed my children before, so many times. Please let me prove I can do better. _"They left her to die." _A misshapen frost giant, left to die alone –_ of course Loki would feel reminded of himself. Tony stepped closer to look at the child who was awake by now and watching him with big, red eyes, making no sound at all. He slowly extended a hand for her to grasp (because you do that kind of thing with children, right?) when Loki moved backwards and warned: "Don't."

"What, I'm not even allowed to touch her?", the engineer pouted. "I'm not _that_ bad with children, you know?"

"Of course, Anthony", the god soothed. "But she is of Jotun blood – her skin might burn you. I am not sure, but I really don't wish to try it out. I will have to cast a glamour on her as my – as Odin did for me back then." Tony opened his mouth to say something, but his boyfriend was faster: "I am not going to lie to her. She will know about her heritage, I promise. I won't repeat my parents' mistakes."

"Glad to hear that, Snowflake", the inventor said with a smile and crouched down again to look at the little girl. She was cute, in her very own way, and the lines on her face and the tiny hands formed beautiful musters. "But I really don't think I could do that", he whispered. "I'd be a terrible dad and she'd hate me for sure. I can't take that sort of responsibility. I'd absolutely screw this up and –"

"Hush, Anthony", Loki cut him off, "you can do it and you know it. I did not fall in love with a man who gives anything up before trying."

Tony took a deep breath. A child wasn't just something you _tried_ and dumped when it didn't work out the way you imagined, but maybe Loki was right. He wasn't one to give up without trying. "All right. I'll give my best, I promise."

And it was worth it, seeing Loki's face light up like a fire and the relieved, honest smile he got together with the softly breathed "_Thank you_". Maybe, just maybe, he could do this. He was not alone after all, Loki was going to stay by his side for this, right?

The god laid the baby down onto the table carefully and let his hands hover over the small body. Tony watched in awe as the blue just kind of... faded away to be replaced by milky white skin. When the girl blinked and wailed softly, her eyes were suddenly the same green as Loki's, and next was the soft hair on her head, exactly in the colour of Tony's. There was just...

"Are these horns meant to be there?", he asked regarding their tips protruding from the thin brown hair. They were barely visible, very small, but still impossible not to notice.

Loki was frowning as he slowly replied: "I can't... conceal them. I will find a way to remove –"

"_No_!", Tony exclaimed. "Jeez, no, leave them! No crazy cutting-stuff-off things. She's gorgeous and I think they look great. And since we're going to tell her about her heritage anyway, it's not a big deal if they stay, right? Leave 'em, please." To distract Loki who seemed still uncertain on the topic, he asked: "Can I hold her now?" He received a small nod and picked the incredibly tiny child up. It looked so fragile, so vulnerable... and totally adorable.

Poking her nose carefully, Tony mused: "Which leaves us with two questions: What's going to be her name and _how the hell _are we going to explain this to the others?"

_Those questions go to you. Any ideas for the name or the reaction of the other Avengers? I'm open for suggestions..._


End file.
